The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-05-19
PESTS OF AFRICA.
A COUNTRY WELL SUPPLIED WITH
ALL SORTS OF INSECTS.

The Ways OF the White Ant-The Re-
markablc "Hottentot God"-Grasshop-
pers, Locusts, Moths and Butterflies.
The Crocodile-venomousS Snakes.
The termites, or white ants, build for
themselves houses or hills of an average
height of three feet above the ground and
three feet diameter at the base, conical in
shape and sometimes adorned with one or
two pinnacles. In rare cases the hills rise
to a height of four or fivo feet, the sub
stance of which they are constructed,
earth mixed with secretion from their
own bodies, being as hard as cement.
Mixed with water it is used as a mortar
in laying bricks and as a covering for the
floors of Kaffir kraals and the houses of
Dutch inhabitants. 1t makes strong
water and damp proof floor. The ant
houses in the interior are divided into
apartments connected by galleries. The
ants have among themselves regular
guards and soldiers, who, when a breach
is made in their dwelling, rush forth in
its defense and muster the working ants,
who curiously enough are without eyes,
to repair the damage, and in surprisingly
short time the swarmS of ants will have
effected all repairs and everything will be
right and quiet again. An animal dies on
the Veldt, soon the vultureS will have
torn off his hide and devour all of it eX-
cepting the bones, then the ants in their
turn clean and polish those so that within
twenty-four hours after death there will
remain only the bones, smooth and pol
ished inside and out, and what was the
day previous living animal is now % dis
jointed and whitened skeleton.
A book could be written on the various
species of ants, but let us pass on to some
of the other insects which abound in
Africa. Here can say word I'm favor
of the detested mosquito. In south Africa
he is quite decent He only bites during
the day, and at sunset, unlike his Amer
lean cousin, goes to sleep and gives you a
rest. AS to tieas, they are found in
legions, and are as active and bloodthirsty
rs any in the world. q.
Sitting in my room one evening reading,
my attention was drawn to remarkable
looking insect, which sat upon his
launches before ME. 1t was of u bright
emerald green color, three inches long,
and evidently of the grasshopper species.
1t had face like a deaths head, with
large, protruding eyes, which it rolled
about in a most cOmical manner. Its
foreIegs resembled arms with hands,
which it held up on either side Of its face
like Mortified old woman. Altogether it
is a most ludicrous insect. 1t is called by
the inhabitants the "Hottentot Cod
The Kaffirs are very superstitious about
it, believing that it is the forerunner of
death. 1t is harmless unless annoyed,
when it will show fight.
OF grasshoppers and locusts there are
many sorts, from those that are six inches
long and armor plated like small iron
clad to little wee things hardly percep-
tible. All of them, however, are terribly
destructive to vegetation. Moths and
butterflies are innumerablei some of them
are very beautiful as they flash hong
the flowers in the bright African sunlight,
while others are of a more somber hue
We must not forget the destructive fish
moth, who finds out all wooden garments,
and to your utter dismay when cold snap
comes on and you think you have nice
warm garment to put on, giving it a shake
to dis1odge the spiders, scorpions and
other disagreeable tenants who like to
take up their abode in all put away cloth
ing, to find it fly off in dust, and instead
of what you expected you have fine
lace worked article, useless even if
ornamental. Spiders there are, from
those as large as pigeons egg to tho
smallest conceivable size, VenOmOuS and
terrible in their bites, lurking in all sorts
of hidden places. One of the most dam
gerous Of the species is u small, round,
bodied fellow, whose favorite haunt is IN
outhouses and in closets, and whose bite
is very painful Scorpions are plentiful
and poisonous. Centipedes are found
everywhere. In fact, with those insects
that have mentioned and others not en-
, Enumerated the dweller in Africa needs to
keep his eyes open, but, like men who
work in powder factories or similarly dau-
gerous places, one becomes accustomed to
all these deadly insects, and q scorpion,
centipede or tarantllla is brushed off in a
cool, matter of fact way, crushed with the
foot, and nothing more thought about it.
The largest and most dangerous, al
though not the most numerous, reptile in
Africa is the crocodile. Infesting the
banks of the numerous rivers and hgobns,
he lies in wait for his prey, and seizos on
CATTLE deer and human beings. His favor
lite repast, however, is a dog. If one is
bowling or barking in the TIeighborhood
the crocodile is alert and on. the lookout
for him, and if he is caugh.t short work is
made of him. Resembling the crocodile
in appearance, although. in miniature, is
the iguana, a harmless reptile, which,
however, is death to Snakes. This reptile
lives in holes in tree1, and is rather pretty
In color. Next Col ne the lizards, plentiful
and harmless. Then the chameleon,
changing his co,or to that of the object on
which he may be resting. 1t is quite the
thing in Africa to keep one or two on a
suspended branch of tree in your room,
rs they 4evour an immense number of
flies and are useful in that way. When
annoyed the chameleon will utter short
bark and spit at his assailant.
The most dangerous and most plentiful
pests of this country are the many species
OF snakes. First in size comes the by
tbon, or boa constructor; although not
maintaining the immense size of his South
American congener, he is a fellow to keep
away from. This snake is found mostly
in the low country adjoining the coast,
and particularly OH the sugar estates 1t
grows to length of Is or IS feet, but is
not considered very dangerous. Then we
have the tribe Of nimambas, black, brown
and green. These snakes will not only
show fight to man, but will pursue him,
even if mounted. In attacking they rear
themselves up, and snake feet in
length will carry it's head feet from the
ground, waving it from side to side and
travelling as fast as a horse can run.
Their bite is sure and sudden death. The
cobra is another dangerous snake, lying
concealed and striking when least eX-
pected. Its bite is deadly.
Adders are plentiful, the puff adder
being one of the most venomous. The
night adder is a small, dminutive snake,
not more than to 10 inches in length,
which erawls around in the night, and is
extremely dangerous. Water snakes are
also found in all rivers, ponds and lagoons.
They are plentiful and are said to be poi
sonous, but never knew of any one being
bitten by one of them. Snakes are to be
found everywhere when least expected
Natal Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.
The refusal of the Reechers to use crane